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<br />The general combination of high temperatures and low humidity in the <br />W <br />~ Lower Region causes high rates of evaporation and transpiration <br />en <br />00 resulting in the depletion of more than 95 percent of the precipita- <br /> <br />tion before it can reach streams or percolate to ground-water <br /> <br />reservoirs. <br /> <br />Demoqraphic Characteristics <br /> <br />The Service Area, with the exception of Southern California, is <br /> <br />characterized by three metropolitan centers, Las Vegas, Phoenix, <br /> <br />and Tucson, with sparsely populated expanses in between. The <br /> <br /> <br />population of this area is projected to be nearly 2,700,000 by <br /> <br />1980 (WRC-1972 OBERS). Including the densely populated southern <br />California coastal area, the Service Area'population is projected to <br /> <br />be nearly 17 million by 1980. This would constitute over half the <br /> <br />population of the 11 western states. <br /> <br />Economic Development <br /> <br />Major earnings are derived from manufacturing which is expected <br /> <br />to continue to lead as the major source of income through 2000. <br /> <br /> <br />Immigration of people to the Lower Region has been primarily <br /> <br /> <br />influenced by the availability of land suitable for many uses, <br /> <br />rich mineral resources, and an attractive mixture of scenery and <br /> <br />climate. <br /> <br />7 <br />